Suspension for refractory walls



A. K. sPALDlNG 2,348,314

SUSPENSION FOR REFRACTORY WALLS May 9, 1944.

Filed June 5, 1942 ff Y y Patented May 9, 1944 UNITED STATES ATlazNTY OFFICE SUSPENSIGN FOR REFRACTORYWALLS Albert K. Spalding, Dallas, Tex l ApplicatonrJune 5, 1942, Serial No. 445,849

s claims.` (o1. 'z2- 101) This invention relates to wall construction and it refers more particularly to supporting or suspending means for refractory walls for furnaces.

The principal robject of the invention is to provide, in substitution for conventional structural steel supporting fabrication of fire walls, a less complicated yet equally as effective means for sustaining a nre Wall which means utilizes but a fractional part of the total quantity of steel required to erect a ground supported fabrication, thus a material saving in both labor and material isv effected. Y

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for supporting or suspending a refractory wall from an independent brick, column or concrete wall, in-lieu of structural steel or other means of support, and in such manner that it will be securely anchored to the independent support, yet with sufficient spacing therebetween as to afford an air space or to accommodate any desired insulation.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a bracket, forming the connecting link between the refractory and the supporting structure and of such design that portions thereof will lie in the mortar joints between stretches of brick and between certain brick of the courses. Moreover, the design of the bracket includes suitable reenforcing to resist stresses imposed thereon and which reenforcing is constructed to also serve as a gauge for determining the depth to which the bracket penetrates the supporting wall to insure uniformity in length of the protruding portions and consequently true perpendicularity of the refractory wall supported thereby.

With the foregoing objects as paramount, the invention has particular reference to certain salient features of construction and arrangement of parts, to become manifest as the description proceeds, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, fragmentarily showing a refractory wall supported by means of the invention by a common brick wall.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the supporting and supported walls in vertical section, showing the'relationship of the invention therewith.

Figure 3 is a detail perspective view of a bracket constructed according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a plan view of the walls, portions of each'being removed to show the invention.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary view of a supporting wall of concrete showing the manner in which theV bracket is mounted therein.

Figure 6 is a similar view of a concrete column or wall' showing a modified form of bracket providing an anchorage for a refractory wall, and

`Figure '7 is a fragmentary View of one of the bars or rails supported by the brackets, which in turn support the Vtiles of the refractory wall.

Continuing with a more detaileddescription of thedrawing, reference numeral It denotes a supporting Wall of common brick, erected in theusual manner with mortared joints I I. This wall supports or suspends the inner or refractory wall which is made up of tiles I2 of a design suitable for correlation with the invention as a whole.

The invention is primarily intended to minimize the quantity of Vsteel required to provide a supporting structure for the re walls in furnaces and in so doing, to accomplish a saving in time, labor, and cost as well as in materials. However, it is pointed out that it is not intended that the invention be limited to the construcion of furnace walls, per se as it may well find use in the construction of building Walls in cases where one wall is bound to another adjacent wall or support. l

In Figure 3 is shown individually a bracket or connector I3 embodying the invention. This bracket may be cofnstructed by casting, diestamping or by any otherv suitable means of manufacture, but the preferred form thereof consists of a plate I4 having an upturned lip I5 on one end and a similar but wider lip I6 on its opposite end. A reenforcing web I'I extends between these lips, longitudinally and centrally of the plate I4.

` The reenforcing web Il, it will be observed, has'its top edge formed to provide an obtuse angle at a. In arranging the bracket in a Wall, especially in a concrete wall, the angle at a affords a gauge by which a workman may conveniently determine the depth to which the bracket is to be implanted in the supporting wall and which determines the length to which it extends outwardly from the wall. Upon the accuracy in mounting the bracket in the supporting wall depends the accuracy of alignment of the supported wall therewith and this feature is an important one, especially when the inner or supported wall is to be mounted alongside and connected with a concretev supporting structure.

In mounting the brackets I3 in the brick supporting wall I0, it is suicient only to vso place the plate I4 between the courses of brick that the rear lip I will lie against the rear face of the bricks of the course with the web I1 lying in the joint. The thickness of the material of which the bracket I3 is made may be equal to or less than that of the mortar joint so that there will be no difficulty in maintaining true alignment of the bricks. The bracket is placed in its position on the supporting course with the web I1 in alignment with the vertical joints. The next succeeding course is laid with the ends of the contiguous bricks overlying the plate I4 in touching engagement with the Web I1 which is now lying in the joint. II'he unfilled portions of the jointare lled with mortar. This predetermines the distance the outer end of the plate I4 extends from the wall and consequently determines the distance between the walls, as will become apparent presently.

The upturned lip or flange I6 of the plate I4 is provided with slots I8 adapted to receive bolts I9 for securing the tile supporting rails 20 thereto, which also have elongated slots 2| therein at spaced intervals to accommodate the bolts I9.

The rails 20 are of special design, being of inverted L-shape in transverse section when boltedl horizontally to the brackets I3. The slots therein allow for longitudinal movement to allow for slight differences in spacing of the brackets I3. On the-free edge of the horizontal iiange of the rail, there is provided a rib 22 of convex crosssection to be conformably received in a concave channel or groove in one end of a tile I2. rI'he tile I2 has an overhanging skirt 23 which is received in a recess 24 of a contiguous tile to form a close joint which may be filled with a bonding agent. The contiguous tile has a shoulder 25 against which the vertical flange of the rail 20 abuts, as clearly shown in Figure 2.

It is apparent from the foregoing that the brackets I3 are held against lateral movement by the reenforcing web I1 and against endwise movement by the lip I5, plus the weight of the bricks and the anchorage afforded by the mortar. 'I'he rails 20 are securely held to the brackets I3 by the bolts I9 and the tiles I2 are positively secured against outward displacement by the shoulder 25, bearing against the depending flanges of the rails 20.

In Figure 5 is shown an example of the manner in which the described bracket I3 is mounted in a concrete wall or column 26. In so mountingthe bracket, the gauge afforded by the obtuse angle a on the edge of the web I1 is of importance, providing,y as it does, a means to determine the depth to which the bracket is required to penetrate the wall to insure uniformity of length of the protruding portion, whereby a Workman, withontdiiiiculty or precision measurement, may erect a perpendicular wall without deviation.

' Figure 6 shows a modified form of bracket whichconsists of a bolt 21 having a head 28 for anchorage in the supporting column or wall 29. The spacer lug consists of a member 30, ap ert'ured and threaded to receive the protruding and threaded end of the bolt 21, on which a nut 3l is applied. The spacer lug, being thus securely Aheld in place, receives the rail 20, which is secured by means of Vthe bolt 21 and nut 3| and which carries the tiles as in the structure earlier described. The bolt aperture of the lug 3D is offset upwardly to increase the stock below the bolt to provide reenforcing. Also, the lug is provided with recesses 32 at. its ends which .bear

against the wall and support to minimize heat transfer.

It is further obvious from the foregoing description that the brackets I3 and spacer lug 30 will afford a mounting for vertical rails. studs, or equivalent means for supporting the tile with equal effectiveness and since the weight of the tile assembly is quite uniformly distributed, the invention, in addition to its function as an anchoring means for a refractory or other wall, may be said to both support and suspend the wall. Moreover, Figure 6 shows that provision is made for suspending a refractory wall from concrete columns or like structures, other than supporting walls.

Man-ifestly, the construction as shown and described is capable of some modification and such modification as may be construed to fall within the scope and meaning of the appended claims is also considered to be within the spirit and intent of the invention.

I claim:

l. Suspension means for a tile wall including in combination with a supporting structure, a bracket comprising a plate having lips at either end at right angles to said plate, one of which is apertured, said plate being embedded in said supporting structure a predetermined depth, and means secured to the apertured lip of said bracket for suspending the elements of said tile wall.

2. In a furnace wall construction, a supporting structure, a refractory wall in parallel relationship therewith composed of interrelated tiles, means for suspending said tiles on said supporting structure, said means comprising brackets having upturned lips at each end and partially embedded in said supporting structure in horizontally and vertically spaced relationship, a, reinforcing rib extending between. said lips and means secured to the protruding portions of said brackets for receiving said tiles.

3. In a furnace wall construction, a. refractory Wall, a supporting wall therefor in parallel, spaced relationship therewith, means connecting said Walls, said means -comprising plates, each having upturned lips, on either end, one of which affords an anchor for said plate, and a reeniorcing rib axially thereof joining said lips, said plate being mounted in said supporting wall a predetermined. depth, rail secured to the lip of the protruding portion of said plate and connected with said refractory Wall and means on the reenforcing rib of said plate to gauge the length of the protruding portion of said plate. I

4. In a furnace wall construction, a refractory wall composed of interrelated tiles, a supporting wall parallel with and spaced therefrom to dene an `air and insulating space, a multiplicity'of connectors joining said walls, each comprising a bracket having its ends turned at right angles to its body, an axially arranged rib connecting said ends, said bracket being partially embedded in said supporting Wall, having an endprotruding horizontally from said wall and means aflixed' to the protruding ends of said brackets adapted to be embraced by the ends of said titles for maintaining rigid relationship thereof.

5. Suspension means for wall tiles including in combination with a supporting Structure, a bracket comprising a plate partially embedded in said supporting wall and having upturned lips at each end of unequal widths, the lip of greatest width having spaced apertures therein, a reinforcing rib extending from the midsection of one lipto the other and having physical means for gauging the length of the protruding portion of said bracket and a tile supporting rail affixed by means of said apertures to the protruding portion of said bracket.

6. In a wall construction, a Wall and a supporting structure, means connecting said wall to said supporting structure, said means comprising a plate anchored in and protruding from said supporting structure, having upturned lips of unequal height a rib on said plate extending from one to the other of said lips and having a crest forming an obtuse angle by which to predetermine the spacing between the Wall and its supporting structure and means supported by said plate for sustaining said Wall.

ALBERT K. SPALDING. 

